Finding Articles in the Library's Research Databases
Research databases are collections of searchable electronic records that can be used as an efficient way to find credible resources on a theme, like agriculture or rural development.
How to Choose a Database
In deciding which database(s) to use, it is helpful to note:
- What: What can I find in the database? (e.g. articles, conference proceedings, data)
- When: When does coverage begin? How well is historical literature covered? Does it include articles published in the last year?
- Where: What is the geographical scope of the coverage? Does that match your research interest?
General Databases:
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Scopus This link opens in a new windowLarge interdisciplinary abstract and citation database to academic journal literature, conference proceedings and books with broad coverage across the sciences and social sciences, includes citation tracking tools (Citescore).
[Coverage: full coverage from 1996-present, with selected coverage as far back as 1823] -
PAIS Index This link opens in a new windowIndexes all types of materials in the area of public affairs and public policy - journal articles, books and book chapters, reports, government documents. Topics include agriculture, banking, demographics, education, environment, finance, government, health, law, legislation, political science, social sciences, and statistics.
[Coverage: 1914-present]
International Agriculture Databases:
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CAB Abstracts (Ovid) This link opens in a new windowProvides citations and abstracts to the international agricultural literature, including human and animal nutrition, forestry, rural development, as well as other related topics such as tourism and human ecology. Covers over 11,000 journals and conference proceedings and selected books in agriculture.
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AGRIS - International System for Agricultural Science and Technology This link opens in a new windowAGRIS indexes world literature collected from AGRIS resource centers in over 100 countries worldwide. AGRIS covers all aspects of agricultural sciences and technology, including grey literature not available through normal publication and distribution channels, such as unpublished scientific and technical reports, theses, conference papers and government publications. AGRIS indexes FAO sales publications and documents, including main documents and project reports.
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AgriRXiv This link opens in a new windowagriRxiv (pronounced ‘agri-archive’) is a free, open access source of unpublished preprints across the agricultural sciences. It is hosted and managed by CABI, an international, inter-governmental, not-for-profit organization that improves people’s lives worldwide by providing information and applying scientific expertise to solve problems in agriculture and the environment. Articles are not peer-reviewed, edited, or typeset before being posted online. agriRxiv will moderate and then index all content to ensure it is appropriate for our users, and that it can be easily found and shared.
Other Databases
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Women's Studies International This link opens in a new windowAn interdisciplinary database combined from Women Studies Abstracts (1984-present), Women's Studies Database (1972-present), New Books on Women and Feminism (1987-present), Women of Color and Southern Women (1975-present), and several major bibliographies.
Identify Peer-Reviewed Articles
A peer-reviewed source is an article that has been reviewed by several other experts in the field before being published in order to ensure its quality. This 2 minute video describes the peer review process.
How do I Know if an Article is Peer-Reviewed?
Look for limits/filters
Many databases allow you to specify that you want to search only in “peer-reviewed” or “refereed” sources.
Visit the journal’s webpage
Search online for your journal’s title. Sections like “about this journal” or “editorial policies” generally mention whether the journal is peer-reviewed/refereed.
Check a directory
Use the Ulrich’s Periodicals Directory to find key information about a journal, including whether it has a peer-review process.
How to Access the Full Text of an Article
"Get it at UC" Button
Most databases provide a description of articles and other resources to help you find what you need by searching through the indexed literature within their website. Included as part of the item record is the “Get it at UC” button. Clicking this button will direct you to a copy of the full text of the article.
Interlibrary Loan Request
If we do not own a journal or book, you can submit an interlibrary loan (ILL) request to have the book or article (e)mailed to you for free from another UC library. Learn more about how to request books or articles.